THE YARD GRAFFITI MUSEUM
Southwest Greenway, Detroit, MI
An art preservation project created by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
In partnership with TEAD One Memorial Artist in Residence Program & attng3tr
Welcome to The Yard Graffiti Museum on the Southwest Greenway, an outdoor gallery dedicated to the preservation of the graffiti and underground history in this space.
The Southwest Greenway was once a winding creek connecting Corktown to the Detroit River. In the early 20th century, the creek was filled in to make way for an international train tunnel. During the later half of the 20th century, this space became important to the graffiti community—dubbing it “The Yard.” For years graffiti artists would come down to the underpass between Rosa Parks and Lafayette Blvd. and hone their craft.
With the next transition of the Southwest Greenway, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy wanted to pay homage to this community by preserving the history of The Yard through documentation, recognition, and utilizing a protective clear coat on the pieces. At the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, it is our mission to connect space with community, and it is a privilege to present this special place to the wider Detroit community.
It was an honor partnering with the TEAD One Memorial Artist in Residence Program and attng3tr to share this piece of underground history. The Yard Graffiti Museum is dedicated to the artists who painted in this space who are no longer with us: TEAD, Loaf, Teck9, Gasm, Astro, Canc.